Explain how an organisation could ensure its staff selection procedure promotes equal opportunities

An organisation can ensure the selection equal to making sure it is non-discriminatory. This means that all staff are selected by their ability in work ethics and their resume rather than protected characteristic, such as; age, marital status, sexual orientation, race, disability, religion and etc. For example, an interviewer cannot choose a candidate based on their race. All candidate are given a fair interview procedure. This can be done by the interview panel being mixed, having pre-listed questions or having interviews at different times and an accessible location. When regarding advertisement the organisation would need to focus on making their platform is diverse in order for it to be open up to the wide audience. The advertisement should not be limited to particular cultures or language. It should be based on the candidate resume and work ethic. Therefore, it is vital that the organisation are aware of the language they are using when advertising. The organisation having mixed panel would enable an equal chance for the interviewee because the others might balance it out and focus on the skills and qualities of the interviewee. The mixed panel consists of having a diverse panel, such as; gender, culture, disability, age and ethnicity. By having a mixed gender and culture panel can ensure that the interviewee is protected from prejudice viewpoint. An example to show the effectiveness of mixed panel interview in a selection procedure would be one interviewer having a prejudice feeling towards the interviewee and hopefully, the others can balance it. Thus creating a fairer interview for the interviewee. The one-to-one interview can cause hostility and less fairness than a mixed panel because it enables the interviewer to be in control. Whilst mixed panel has a majority decision. A second interview process that the organisation would use to make sure that their staff selection procedure is equal is having pre-listed questions. Pre-set questions make sure that everyone being interviewed is asked the same questions in order to promote equality. It made sure that the interviewer cannot ask questions that discriminate against the interviewee. For example, women being asked their being asked about their marital status. A pre-listed question would make it equal and easy to judge between the interviewees because all of the candidates would be asked the same questions. Therefore, eliminating prejudice or discriminatory questions the interviewee may be asked by the interviewer. This is because pre-listed questions are already determined questions. Thus making it standardised and more equal for the interviewees because they would be all be asked the same questions and none of them would be discriminated or given special treatment. The last interview procedure is having an interview at different times and if possible for the organisation to have its inaccessible locations. Interviews should be held in a range of times. This would granted that everyone has the time to go for an interview. It is not limiting the number of interviewees. Avoiding different slots such as 3pm-4pm due to parents picking up their children from school. For the location, it is not necessary to have five different locations but the location should be clear and if possible in more than one place. Wheelchair users should be able to access the building in order to give them an equal chance of applying for the job. Thus making sure that the organisation is promoting equality in their staff selection procedure. When advertising for job applicants the organisation to make sure that there advert is not gender restricted. This means that the advert should not be seeking one gender over the other. Using one word such as ‘waitresses needed’ can imply that the applicants must only be female rather than a mixed gender. To overcome this the organisation should use unisex words to describe professions, such as; doctors, actors, teachers, bar worker and etc. By doing this the organisation would not be limiting the number of applicants because they have opened the advertisement to both genders. It is vital that an organisation is aware of the advertising platform they are using because if they were to advert in specific broadcasting which would limit those that are not familiar with it. For example, if the organisation choose to advertise in a French newspaper. This would disadvantage those that want to apply for a job that is not familiar with the newspaper. Nevertheless, the advert should not demand a person that has a mother tongue that is French. This is due to that there are people that can speak fluently in French, however, their native tongue is not of French. The advert should head in a direction that says a ‘looking for a person fluent in French. ’ This would enable people with knowledge in French to apply. In general, the organisation should be aware of the language they use when advertising and the platform in order to promote an equal opportunity for all candidates applying for the job.